We are "STILL STANDING!"

Still Standing Online Magazine launching May 5th!  

{Embracing Life After Loss & Infertility}

All over the world there are millions of people who have suffered the loss of a child and struggled with infertility, all too often they do so in silence.  Not because they want to, but because they feel alone and maybe they don't know how to 'talk' about their loss or 'express' their feelings.  Well sweet friends, I am so excited to share with you today about the most amazing 15 women I have come to love, respect and admire over the past few months.

We all have different stories, uniquely our own, but the pain links us together, the pain that words are never adequate enough to describe, yet somehow with a gentle {hug} or a <3 sign, we know, we understand, we relate, it's an 'unspoken language' between grieving parents that no one else can understand, nor can we explain.

By embracing  our heartaches, we are all learning to use the remnants of pain as a passion to create and inspire as we journey to live again through art, photography, design, poetry, writing, and SO much more.

These women will knock your socks off with their inspiration, their dreams and the ability to view the world with eyes that can see the beauty in the mess.  The mess of suffering, the empty arms and the broken hearts...  we all know this well...  and how many of you do too?  How many of you wish you knew someone that survived the very feeling that you are going through right now?  Keep reading friends and stay tuned... I have someone for you to meet!  (Like 15 someones!)  You are not alone!

We are stretched out from Australia to Canada to Texas to little ole' me in Mississippi...(and many more places)  We are all STILL STANDING and embracing life after loss and infertility!  Would you like to join us as we come together, reaching out, bridging the gap to lift you up!  You will be encouraged, you will cry, you will laugh, but most importantly, you will be Still Standing with us... and side by side, we will journey on.

Right now these women are working really hard behind the scenes to bring you their hearts and stories... get ready to have your heart moved and to fall in love with these precious women!  (and our guest posts, along with fathers and grandparents and children that have experienced loss!)  Get ready!  Don't miss out!

You can sign up for the magazine here

Join us on Facebook here  

My column, "Beauty Marks," is where I will share with you the topic of faith after loss.  We lost our son, Matthew, almost 7years ago when I had a uterine rupture while in labor.  He lived just 25 minutes, but radically changed our lives forever.  We suffered extreme loss of the death of our son and I was also left with life changing physical disabilities from the medical complications.  The road has been hard to say the least, but as I persevere day by day, I know I am honoring my baby boy and his life has a beautiful purpose.  I look forward to sharing my heart with you... I am humbled and grateful, and so blessed that I am Still Standing after nearly 7 years.

A special thank you to Fran at Small Bird Studios!  She is the BEAUTY behind this!  She is incredible and we are launching the magazine on her sweet baby girl's 3rd birthday in heaven... What a GIFT in honor of Jenna!  

Much love to you all!

Lori

But a moment...

But a moment, and you're gone.

How can it be with the blink of an eye something has the momentum and the power to change your life forever?

Child loss... but a moment, is all it takes.

A moment that is frozen in time and forever etched within the script of your heart.

Nothing will ever be the same.

The circumstances, do they really matter when all that matters is already gone?

Speechless... are there any words that will render something soothing to the heart that is so shattered?

I am not speaking about things we don't feel, but rather the things we cannot explain.

Nor do words have adequate power to describe the emptiness that is within.

But a moment ago... you were here...

pain & fear collide...

It's nearly 4 a.m. and I am unable to sleep, partly due to the 'recovery' efforts I am making (and the massive amounts of antibiotics that are making me sick!)... and partly due to my own mind not being settled.

If you have read my book,  you will know the fear I have of the hospital and surgeries, yet the necessity of having them both in my life.  And you will understand the following...

I went into surgery this time more confident than ever that all would be well.  And it was 'textbook,' quoting the doctor.  They were able to do 2 procedures for 1 'sleep' and that was a relief to me... going into the O.R. just once is always better than twice.  (unless you are Joan Rivers!) ;)

I have more stories about the surgery experience, but that is for another time... you can look forward to my bright yellow sticky socks and be jealous if you don't have any!  If you don't know what I am talking about, catch up here.

As I lay in bed last night fighting the immense pain in my abdomen and lower back, I held my stomach and remembered what led me to this journey, this battle, this place in my life, in the hospital bed... and the precious little life that was within me, the very spot where my hands were holding my stomach praying the pain would subside... that is where my pain and fear collide...

I drifted off to sleep and woke up sweating and praying all at the same time.

I had a terrible nightmare, so real, so intense that I probably would have called 911 if I had my phone near me.

I was laying down sleeping next to RW and my stomach began to bulge out, like it was going to explode... my hands were holding it as tight as I could trying to keep whatever was in there inside of me, where it belonged... but it was out of my hands... fear engulfed me and I screamed "there's something wrong!"  RW looked at me with great concern and didn't hesitate to understand the urgency I was feeling... but it was too late... my stomach was distorted and contracting and it was exploding...

I screamed in pain and full of fear.

I then woke up holding my stomach and looking for blood, the dream was that real.

My fears were that real.  And this dream, very symbolic for what happened on that day that brought me here... the day Matthew was no longer protected and I had no control over what happened to me or to my precious baby.

When I was pregnant with Matthew, I loved to feel him move, kick and hiccup!  I loved knowing that I was protecting him from the great big scary world that he would meet, all too soon, or so I 'expected.'  I would rub my stomach and talk to him, love him and always protected him.

Almost 7 years later, the very sacred place that held my baby is gone... my uterus was taken to save my life the day that he lost his.

But last night, horrific memories came back, pain collided with fear and I was overwhelmed with the thought, once again, that I had no control over this.  I am 'strong' enough to admit that fear is a stronghold that I have to overcome daily.  God has given me the courage to do what I do, but some moments, I am not that brave, and cannot find my courage.  It is then, I delight in the things that God does to remind me He has my back when I am facing adversity.  Like Dave... Dave is still with us... and matter of fact, as I have been in the bed for some 36 plus hours now, he has entertained me on the window seal, right next to Matthew's curio. {For more on Dave, read here}

I can't look for reasons why this happened, or why I am still physically battling with my injuries, but I can look, and believe me, I make it a point, to look for God's grace and mercy every day of my life.  For when I look there, the fear and pain subside and peace and comfort abide.

Acknowledging that you have fear is really important to overcome it.  You cannot face something you deny you never have... and you certainly don't need to shove them in a box somewhere- I did that for so long, not good friends... not good.  You don't  have to give into the fears, but rather recognize them for what they are and what God says about them- "For God has not given me a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind."  

Tonight, as I laid in bed, I held my stomach, my hand running over the faded scar that marks the spot where the sacred was held and was taken out of my body, remembering the events of that day and the time that would follow it.  As my body is responding to this recent surgery with pain, my heart is also responding subconsciously and consciously with fear along with pain.  But as I learn to embrace the new battle scar on my body, I know as it heals, it will evolve into another "Beauty Mark" and remind me even more of God's grace, His mercy and my precious baby boy!

If you are struggling with pain and fear today, rest knowing God is in control... I plan to.

Good night or good morning to all!  xoxo!


One more note- I give God my fears ALL through the day...every day.  Whenever anxiety is near, I remember my husband's words that we need to just make it through this moment and then go to the next. Doing that grounds my fears of tomorrow or five years from now...God knows what is going to happen in the days to come and I have to have faith that just as He did yesterday, He will take me through tomorrow too.  Moment by moment, I live life.  And when those moments are full of fear, I repeat this cycle of giving God my fears and taking a moment at a time.  I repeat it over and over and over...

I didn't expect...

What I didn't expect when I was expecting...STILL!

Well, where should I begin?

I didn't expect to be packing my boys up tonight as our early departure for the hospital in the morning would not allow us to take Nate to school, so they are staying with my sister.  I don't ever like kissing them goodnight before surgery ... I just don't.  It makes me sad because my mind always takes that trip of "what if..."  because it has happened to me before.

I try to be brave in front of them so surgery / hospital talk doesn't scare them, but as they leave a tear falls down my cheek... I expected that.

A knot in my throat and a silencing of my thoughts are dancing around.  How can one have silent thoughts?  Lose a child and it is amazing the silent thoughts we have.  The kind where you see the carousel moving, but there is no music.  That is playing over in my head.

I didn't expect to be sitting here tonight without Matthew.

I didn't expect to be having another surgery almost 7 years after I went into the hospital to have a baby... and leave without him.

It is just RW and myself, accompanied by our dog & cat left here tonight as the countdown begins... and when we don't have kids here the night before surgery is always hard... the quietness and stillness make it all too real.  It means we are making the drive once again that we have so many times before.  The drive so early in the morning where I will be wishing it was over.

A very sobering drive.  A drive that my husband always makes the most of, making me smile~ holding my hand tight~ talking about the future and how he cannot wait to take me to the mall on the way home. (sigh)  He is so good to me and has taken such good care of me.  This is a road he surely never expected either. his life on hold as he takes care of me with no complaints.  I love him.  And I am blessed, so very blessed to be his wife.

I will check in and put on the lovely garment that screams fashion icon accompanied by the sticky socks!  You know which ones I am talking about!  I bet if I brought Velcro balls, RW and my mom could throw them at my feet when I was in recovery for a game of, well, you get the picture!  Ugh!  and then comes my crowning glory... the surgery cap!  Oh yes ma'am!  The kind where I should be asking you what you would like on your sandwich tray!  (no offense my sweet cafeteria friends, but when you add that to my already iconic ensemble, you can see the fabulosity fading quickly!)  And NO LIPSTICK!  Seriously, people!  Ugh, so I will abide by the rules that I am convinced some man made or designed!  And as soon as they get me into recovery, RW will hand me my lipstick!  He knows the rules! ;)

Please no thank you cards for the laugh! ;) This was when I was receiving botox for the 1st time in my bladder!  I thought (as I was sedated- it's amazing the thoughts you think are good when you are sedated!)  that it was a good idea to take a photo so I could show everyone my 'botox' since they would never see it on my face!  LOL!  Quit laughing!!! ;)

Anyway, this is never easy, never wanted, but necessary for me to live better...  so I will go in and rock it out in the operating room as I have before talking about my bible scriptures and fabulous handbags!

Life has certainly handed us a great deal of "ughs" but we surely have some beautiful "ahs" too!

I didn't expect to ever be okay ever again after losing Matthew... I didn't expect to be so blessed with Will.... I didn't expect to still mother 3 boys when only 2 of them were here with me.  I didn't expect God's mercy, grace  & forgiveness to overflow my heart and make me content.  Not content because I don't have Matthew or not content because I am still inured from that day, but content because I know one day I will have my baby again and content because on that day, I will be whole again.

I expect that!

Signing off to get some beauty rest before they put me in that ugly, ugly gown tomorrow!  Something has to look good! ;)

Much love to all!  xoxo!

Define Me...

 Our first Christmas without Matthew, 2005

While the rain was coming down yesterday, so were the tears, as I stood in my kitchen washing dishes looking at a photo of Nathan by the fresh grave site of his baby brother.  Nothing can quite drop me to my knees like the flooding of the memories from those days and seeing Nathan’s 5 year old brown eyes filled with tears yet wearing a smile, he was so proud to give Matthew his 1^st Christmas tree…

The days when the dirt was fresh… and in a mound, freshly piled, shovel after shovel.  It digs into the gut of my heart and aches when I think of it. 

I was standing there and I just called out to God, “DEFINE ME… DEFINE ME GOD!” 

Words that I have never uttered before came out of my mouth.  Here I stood staring at my son’s grave, unable to feel my legs, feet and multiple other injuries from that day, and I wanted God to define me.

I know I am a child of God, a wife and a mother… and I have often asked God "who am I?" but this was different... I wanted God to define me.  May sound the same to you, but when you are soul searching, it brings on a whole new meaning.  

I am so preoccupied with the busyness of life, ball fields here and there, my book, the new online magazine that I am a part of, my blog, starting a new business with Arbonne, working on getting my family healthy and being proactive in having a healthier life, along with the day to day tasks of keeping the house in order and surviving doctor visits coupled with whatever comes my way that day.

BUT in the craziness of this life, my life, what are my motives for doing all of the above?  What is the desire of my heart?

The day I “accepted” my injuries and our loss, is the day I knew through it all, I would have to use the strength God was gracing me with daily to help others.

And as I stood in the kitchen, so much has changed since that day of the fresh dirt… but I found that my motives have not… my heart’s desire had not changed… if anything, it has become stronger.  No matter what I am doing, or where I am going, I want to help others.  And that left me to challenge myself in the next 5 years, no matter where I am or what I am doing, that I want to remain true to those motives and desires.

That is who I am… who God has called me to be.  And with each new day, as the dirt gets older and older, and the mound is no longer present, my heart remains full of fresh hope, love and grace to give to others, to help others and to touch the lives of everyone I meet. 

Whether it is through my book, my blog, the magazine or through Arbonne… I have accepted my new 5 year challenge and will see it through, one moment at a time.  And I look forward to the amazing things that God has assigned to me and blessed our family with.

 

If you are facing a mound of fresh dirt today, don’t turn your head away from the pain.  I know it hurts to see it, to feel it and to accept it… it hurts badly. 

But I can say that through pain, we gain endurance.  And we can find the passion within our pain that will inspire us, drive us and motivate us every day to get up and fight to find the survivor within.  (Some days that is a battle in itself- But she’s in there!)

I have been running this race for almost 7 years… and at times the endurance meter runs so low that I find myself stopping, wanting to give up. There are days I want to go away, I want to shut myself out and be left alone… and some days I wish no one knew my struggles, because I don’t want the sympathy, and I definitely don’t want the “I’m sorry’s,” even though I know most of them are genuine.  And the ironic thing is that when I feel like that, I am most sad… and it is then I realize I am carrying the burden when God wants to do that for me.  I do not have joy when I am not helping others.  And from time to time I will try to outrun it… crazy, I know, but it’s the truth.   The pain, unequivocal to anything I have ever experienced, but the prize ahead worth it all.

Every day is a challenge, a choice.  Are you making a difference in someone’s life today?  Is someone making a difference in yours?

Just as I watched our bird fly away today, I was reminded of the momentum that God has blessed me with by giving me beautiful friends and a loving family that are literally the wind beneath my wings.  On the worst of days, I am never flying solo…

If you were to ask God today to DEFINE YOU, what would His answer be?

I stand in awe of the works of God and His creations… I am blessed and grateful and full of hope for tomorrow. 

One person can make a difference!  Won’t you?

Lots of love to all... LCW

Dave teaching me how to face adversity

4 days and counting... surgery again.

I was up so late last night with many of the same thoughts and all too familiar fears I have faced in the past.  I have had so many procedures and surgeries, I cannot keep count anymore...  but it doesn't make this one any easier.  If anything, it is doing the opposite.  I know what is to come... I know the routine... and it scares me.

I have to keep going back to 2 Timothy 1:7 God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  I have gone to "sleep" on many operating tables quoting that, Friday will be no different.

Adversity is defined as a state hardship or affliction, misfortune,

This last week God has been using a beautiful red cardinal to teach me a valuable lesson on adversity and how I have to face it head on, again.  Sometimes I forget what we have already made it through and don't know if I have the strength to stand through yet another "affliction or misfortune."  So God reminds me...

Courage is defined as the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery.

I haven't been feeling so brave or full of courage...

Last week when a beautiful red bird landed on my window seal and woke me up, I thanked God for this beautiful creation and simple reminder that Matthew is alive and well with Him in heaven.  As the bird stayed with us through the day, I began to wonder why this little bird was staying here, on my window seal.  Could he fly?  Yes, yes he could fly, and he would fly off as if just to show me his wings were not broken and then fly right back to the window.

As I sit and type this, Dave, (Will named him) is staring at me from the window seal in our bedroom where he has been with us for a week now.  And I totally get the message this little bird is here to let me know.

See, not only is it just us humans in the house, we have a cat and a dog that chase birds.  Our dog, Dixie has been rather successful and has walked off with her fair share of catching birds since we have had her.  (I used to keep a bird house up, but it was like a trap for the birds, so I took it down, too easy for the dog to get to them.)  So, birds usually don't visit us, much less encamp themselves anywhere near our home.


At least, none but Dave! :)

Before Will named him, I was calling him my little BRAVE bird and was quite impressed by the courage he has as he comes face to face with adversity in our home.

Look at what he faces as Dixie confronts him... and he sits... calmly and in peace.

Every morning at 6 am, Dave begins to knock on my window with his beak until I open the curtain.  He is very persistent! :)  He doesn't give up when he is there and he wants you to know it.  Then, the dog comes running in to show her teeth and jump on the window and the cat is hissing... the bird remains unscathed by their actions.  His feathers do not even ruffle.  As he sits perched on the window pane, he has a 90 pound dog and a 20 plus pound cat staring at him and barking, yet he looks with complete confidence right back at them as just sits.  He flies to the top of the window, and on cue, the dog jumps right to the top of the window and then flies right back to the bottom and stares again.

Adversity.  Yes, this is staring adversity right in the face and trusting the glass between the dog and the cat will protect him, keep him untouched, and allow him to be unmoved by circumstances he cannot control.

This is one of my favorite pictures... so inspiring to me and beautiful.  

I am facing adversity and I have to trust that God will be in between me and the surgeon's, the nurses, the procedure while I am unmoved by the circumstances I cannot control.

I know God sends special messages, messages to ignite our hope and inspire our faith.  Dave, our beautiful brave red bird, has completed that assignment for me.  I have watched him closely, some days, sitting on the floor staring right back at him while the tears flowed out of my eyes...  This bird is a gift to us, to me, and has given our family the time to spend watching him together and talking about him and we are all so grateful to have this gift... I don't know when he will leave us, but I do know I am so grateful for the time he has been here.  It is no coincidence that Dave picked the very window seal that is right beside Matthew's curio that holds all of his most precious belongings. (less than a foot away)  We have 3 six-foot windows in our bedroom, but he only goes to that one... closest to Matthew's things.

I have to have act on the faith that is within my heart and the hope that is alive deep at the core of  my very being.  I have to act like Dave and not let adversity ruffle my feathers... and I have to have hope that God is in control and all will be well...

Hope is defined as to wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment.

I have great expectation of the fulfillment of God's promise for my life... and for my family's life, no matter what the adversity is that we are facing.

Do I believe God sent this bird to me?  YES!  And I like to think that Matthew picked Dave out just for us as a way to encourage us through this journey!

Adversity, we all face it... but from now on, I will always remember Dave and the great lesson he taught me and from where he came and why he was sent! :)

Isn't "Dave" beautiful?  Thank you God for Dave!

#51...

With the fresh scent of sanitized hands, I sit and wait for #51 to  be called to the back... Today I am #51.  

Today #51 will be getting labs done for pre-op in prep for surgery on the 20th.  #51 will get another needle, another "oh I am so sorry smile..."  and a lump in her throat as she waits this out...again.

Sitting in the chair, as #51, I am getting mad.  Mad because I am human, mad because my baby is not here and mad because if he were here, I wouldn't be #51.  Feelings of complete guilt override my anger as I realize that I also wouldn't be #51 if Matthew had never existed... I wouldn't trade being Matthew's mama for anything... and this is part of my journey as Matthew's mama... so I sit and wait, again.

The sweet lady that is fixing to do my pre-op paperwork has no idea the road I have traveled to land me in this place at this time.  But I bet she is going to ask... along with the ladies I spoke to earlier on the phone doing my pre-op interview, along with the anesthesiologist and so on...  

Here we go... again.

What brings you here today Mrs. Weatherly?

Honestly, no offense y'all, but spare me on this question please!!!  WHY does EVERYONE have to ask that? Yes, because they are doing their job, but it is the most awful question I have to answer EVERY TIME I have a new nurse, lab tech, etc... 

MY BABY DIED AND I AM SICK BECAUSE OF IT... YES MA'AM IT WAS ALMOST 7 YEARS AGO AND I AM STILL SICK!  AND YES MA'AM THIS IS A RESULT OF THE TRAGEDY FROM THE DAY HE DIED. 

PERIOD!!!.

With each new face, my heart grows sick because believe me, I know what is coming.

I then get to relive the moment when Matthew died and account for the hell that I have had to go through physically with great details...  

I am sitting here writing as the nice lady is doing my paperwork.  She doesn't know my heart hurts so badly, the reason that I am here... the loss I had to endure and the struggle that I have when I go to hospitals or doctors.... it is not just a physical struggle... it is emotionally and mentally straining, always.  

Her job is to make sure #51 has insurance, and that #51 gets what she came for that the doctor ordered.  She did her job very well and was kind.

I don't think I ever get what I came for at the hospital... I know I sure didn't on July 2, 2005.

I was going to get a baby on that day... instead I got to be #51 today.

"I am so sorry Mrs. Weatherly, that is horrible..."

(In my mind... DUH!)

With all due respect, take my blood and please, please be quiet.

 

Sincerely,   

#51

3 bunnies...

It''s Tuesday!  After a week of Spring Break and Easter festivities, I am so grateful to  have had some wonderful family time...  

Yesterday we had one more day together before Nate went back to school.  We ended Spring Break with Nathan's last middle school ballgame of the year.  Countdown is on until school is out for the summer and we will be heading to Disney World! :) (to play ball :) )  


12 years ago, our oldest son was born on Easter Sunday... I remember thinking oh- my-goodness, this is the first time I have ever missed church on Easter Sunday in the middle of contractions!  (yep, preacher's daughter alright!)  Easter gave to us life with our first born son, so you an imagine the humbling that comes to us as we celebrate the resurrection and life of Jesus on this holiday.

As we were shopping for the boys last week for Easter, our hearts just hurt because of the absence of buying 3 (sugar free) chocolate bunnies.  No matter how many times you make purchases, or decorations, there is such a sting to the 'cemetery finds' in a store... always a pain that hurts when you pick the item up and know where you are going to place it... The boys will walk past a cute garden frog and quickly remind us we should buy one of those for Matthew.  Sting.  It never stings less than it did almost 7 years ago.  It's just hard to decorate your baby's grave site, no matter how long ago it was, or how recent.  That is your baby.  Period.  

When we went to the cemetery to decorate for Easter, the grass was overgrown, and it was all in need of such maintenance.  It literally made my heart sick to see the weeds covering the grounds...  We pulled as many as we could surrounding Matthew's grave site after we cleaned Matthew's area.  I wanted to stay all day and just clean the sites that were unattended... 

The unattended grave sites hurt my heart... and I wonder who they were.  Where their parents are and if they, too, feel the sting is just too much and cannot bear to walk those grounds...  I wonder...

I left the cemetery feeling sad, not for  Matthew, because I know where he is... but sad for the many people that do not have the strength to take the walk on the path that would lead them to the very spot where their loved one is buried.  In my book, one of my favorite passages is "There is no longer walk than to walk the path a mother has to take to bury her child. And no path more frequently visited, whether on foot or in her heart or mind, the path always lies deep within her soul."  ~ "Facets of Life ~ What I Didn't Expect When I was Expecting"

I have walked this walk, this path many times...  I know what the Bible says about suffering and I am comforted by that and daily I cling to the hope that lives within my heart.  "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4 (NIV)

Love to all of you from The Weatherly's! 

Easter Sunday... sure wish I had 3 little boys here in green shirts... but rest assured he is nestled within our hearts very tightly!  

Where there's a WILL~ there's a way!

Where there's a "WILL" ~ there's a way!

Our little Will, 5 years old, often imitates his big brother... okay, more than often, A LOT!

When Nathan walks down the hall in the back he raises his hand and touches the attic pull string and keeps walking... EVERY TIME he  passes, he does this.

The last few days, Will has tried to reach the attic pull string... I have watched him DAILY take the little blue stool (that he uses to brush his teeth) and he brings it to the hall, sets it right in place, and steps up-  a little grunt comes from him as he reaches on his tip toes to try with all of his might to touch the string... as he steps off, he just kind of shakes his head as he puts the stool  back.

Well, yesterday, as he did this, I told him "Will, one day, you are going to walk past this attic pull string and just  reach out and touch it!"  He smiled, and shrugged his shoulders a little... (I was thinking all too soon, he will be tall enough, big enough to reach this goal!)

Just a few minutes ago, I was walking past the hallway, and noticed the little blue stool, and the two-step ladder by the attic... and on top of that two step ladder was my five year old touching the attic pull string with a grin on his face proving, once again to mama, that where there's a WILL, there's a way!

I wonder what goal you are trying to attain?  What is out of your reach that you are striving to accomplish?  Maybe you can reach that goal if you think about building blocks as Will did to get you there!

I thought he would reach the pull string by growing taller like his brother... BUT he was DETERMINED to use his resources he had right now to reach it!

Mama learned a great lesson from watching her little Will find his way!

Don't give up on whatever you are trying to accomplish... don't think anything is too far out of your reach... You may need to be a little savvy in how you get there... but you can!

Love to all!!!

What a Wonderful World...

It's Monday... SPRING BREAK!  

The pool is ready, the boys are excited & I am so ready for some time to smell the roses! Why don't we do more of that??? 

Yesterday I was out by the pool (aka, my "office") & I just looked around from the beautiful blue skies, to the green grass surrounding me... the birds entertained me, so did the dog as she tried relentlessly, but with no avail to "play" with them!  I sometimes think I am in such a hurry that I forget to notice the wonderful things God has surrounded us with ~ 

Flowers are blooming everywhere... the bees are buzzing, the butterflies & dragonflies fluttering all around reminding me of the sweetness in heaven!  Thank you God for such A WONDERFUL WORLD!  

I don't have many words today, not feeling like writing a lot lately, but taking this time to be totally refreshed... Sometimes I need to be quiet & just listen~  listen to nature surrounding me, to music & melodies that soothe my soul & to God who is quietly speaking to my heart. 

Today I leave you with this most beautiful melody & song...